Typewriting machine



March 16 192 6. 1,576,680

J. A. B. SMITH TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Sept. 5, 1922 //7ve/7 far:

v r A 770/778} I citizen of the United turning the carriage ment andholding of bills,

the new workiece pressure or hol carriage-strokes the circumstancePatented Mara 16, 1926. v

JESSE A. B. SMITH, OF

1,576,680 PATENT OFFICE.

STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR '10 UNDEBWOOD TYPE- WRI'IER COMPANY, OFNEW YORK, N. Y.,'A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

'rxrnwnrrme macnmn' Application filed September 5, 1922. Serial No.586,063.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jnssn A. B. SMITH, a States, residing in Stamford,in the county of Fairfield and State'of Connecticut, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Typewriting Machines, of whichthe following is a specification.

The present invention relates to the mechanisms in a ty ewriting machinefor rethereof, and for releasing the pressure device, for the placement.and removal of work-pieces, and restoring the pressure device for itsnecessary function. More particularly, the invention has to do withmeans for operating these mechanisms to expedite and simplify theplaceon which the entries to be typed are short, and which, when writtenin considerable quantity, involve frequent unsetting and resetting ofthe work-pressing or holding devices.

The pressure devices, which hold the workpieces to the platen, haveheretofore been released, for removal and lacement of workpieces, bymeans of a ger-piece. After has been inserted, the ng device has beenrestored again manipulating the same fingerpiece. In filling in certainprinted forms or notices, it is required to tylpewrite but a single lineand the manipu ation of the pressure-releasing and restoring deviceoccupies a disproportionate part of the operators time and attention. I

An object of the present invention .is to overcome this difficulty andminimize or eliminate the time and effort heretofore consumed in firstreleasing and subsequently restoring the work-holding device. To thisend it is contrived to release the work-holding device, hold itreleased, and subse uently to restore it to hold the newly inserte work,without demanding either attention or effort on the part of theoperator, or consuming his time. This result is gained by causing thework-holding device to release the work in the time t isnecessarilyconsumed by the returning movement of the paper-carriage, sothat no time is consumed for the work-releasing operation betweenadvantage being taken of that the work does not need to be line-fed,wherefore there is no need to cards and notices carriage.

press the work against the platen when it is not being typed upon. Thisresult is accomplished b a treadle which returns the carriage anconcomitantly releases the work-holder and subsequently holds thework-holder in released condition after the carriage has completed itsreturn stroke, leaving both hands of the operator free, one to Withdrawthe released work, and the other to insert the fresh work between theplaten and the work-holder while the latter is maintained by the treadlein released condition; the work-holder being self-restored upon reliefof the treadle from pressure, so that the operator is relieved frommanipu: lating the work-holder at any stage. 1

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the upper part of a typewritingmachine, showmg the connections thereto of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation of the upper rlght-hand portion ofthe machine, showing the connections of the present invention theretoand the treadle for operating the same. a

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of a machine embodying a modifiedform of the invention.

The platen 10 is mounted on an axle 11 journaled in the side pieces 12of the platen The platen carriage, at the rear thereof, is supported andruns on a rail '13 on the main frame 14 of the machine; and at thefrontthereof has a roller-bearing 15 on the main frame. The carriage .isprovided with the usual paper-table 16 upon which bills, cards orwork-pieces may be fed around the laten to the printing position. Thewor -pieces may, however be inserted bottom end first at the front ofthe platen.

Fixed to the side pieces of the carriage frame is a shaft 17 havingpivotally mounted thereon arms 18, which carry rear devices 19 to pressthe work against the platen, and arms 20, which carry front pressuredevices 21. The arms 18 form bell-cranks with arms 22, shown asdepending from the shaft 17 and the arms 20 form bell-cranks with arms23,-likewise shown as depending from the shaft 17. The arms 22 and 23engage on opposite sides of flats 24 on a rock-shaft 25. Springs 26 and27, respectively, hold the arms 18 and 20 in Figure 1 position, s withthe pressure devices against the platen, and restore the pressure orwork-holding 3 devices to such position when free to do so.

In Figure 1, with the pressure devices against the platen, the arms 22and 23 of thebell-cranks are shown as engaging the flats on the shaft25. On turning the rock- 1 shaft v25, however, the flattened portions ofsaid shaft force apart arms 22 and 23, de-

pressing the arms 18 and to release the pressure devices. For. effectingsuch movement of the shaft 25 to release the pressure 15 devices, thereis fast to the shaft 25 an arm 28, whichconnects by a link 29 to an arm30 pivoted on a shaft 31 'ournaled 1n the right-hand side piece of t ecarriage; the

shaft 31 having also fast thereto an arm 32 20 carrying a finger-piece33. Upon movement of the finger-piece 33 from full l ne to dotted line,Figure 1, position, the llIlk 29 is drawn up to rock the shaft 25 andrelease the pressure devices. The parts thus far de- 25 scribed arefound in the standard Underwood typewr'iting machine.

' For concomitantly releasing the pressure devices and returning thecarriage, the following mechanism is provided. Fast to the front rail ofthe carriage, at the right-hand end thereof, is a bracket 34 ,on which1s journaled a pulley 35. Fast to the mam frame of the machine, at theright-hand end thereof, is a bracket in theform of an arm 35 36 extendedto the right and havin at its end an ear 37, in which is journale apulley 38. A cord 39 connects at 40 to the pressure-device-releasinglever 32, and thence is-ledrea rward to and around the pulley 35, 40 andto the right toiand'around'the pulley 38 downward-to a treadle 41, towhich it connects at 42. The treadle 41 is ivoted at 43 to the floor'orother suitable p ace for operation b the operators foot. When I 45 thetreadle 1s depressed, it effects a movement of the roll-releasing arm32, which niay be determined by a stop 51 on the side piece of thecarriage, thus permitting the springs 26, 27 to restore the pressuredevices 19, 21 when permitted b the treadle,

after the insertion of the fresh workpiece,

preparatory to typing a line thereon. Fur:

ther forward movement of the arm 32 is prevented. Movement of thetreadle morerover serves to return the carriage to the right until it isarrested by its margm stop.

In Figure 3, the cord 39, after passlng over the pulley 35, is led downand connected to a drum 44, shown as journaled at 45 on the.

side of the main frame of the machine, but which may be journaled on anyother suitable standard. Fast to the drum 44 is a pinion 46 meshing witha larger pinion or ear 47 fast on a shaft 48, to which is also ast' anoperating arm 49 having a handle 50. A forward movement of the handle 50from normal or Figure 3 position causes rotation of the drum 44 in suchdirection as to draw-upon the cord 39 and release the pressure device inthe same manner as in the structure at Figures 1 and 2. The gearing isso proportioned as to effect the necessary length of carriage-returnmovement most conveniently. I

Variations. may be resorted to within the (5 scope of the invention, andportions of the improvements may be usedwithout others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: a 1. In a'typewritingmachine, the combination with a platen and a letter-feeding carriagetherefor, of a releasable work-holding pressure device bearing againstthe platen, means efi'ective without requiring attention or use ofeither hand of the operator for 55 automatically releasing the work fromthe control of the pressure device, and for maintaining the pressuredevice released to per-' mit the operator to withdraw the typedwork-piece with one hand, and insert a fresh work-piece with the otherhand, in-

' cluding a carriage-returning pedal, means for connecting said pedal tosaid pressure device to release the same simultaneously with the return.of the carriage and maintain '95 the pressure devicereleased until afterthe completion of the return of the carriage, and means for mechanicallyrestoring the workholder upon the release of the pedal.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and aletter-feeding carriage therefor, of a releasable work-holding pressuredevice bearing against the platen, means effective without requiringattention or use of either hand of the o erator for automaticallyreleasing the worfi from the control of the pressure device, and formaintalning the pressure device released to permit the operator towithdraw the typed work-piece with one hand, and insert a no freshwork-piece with the other hand, including a movable member, a cordattached thereto, a pedal connected to draw on the cordto release thepressure device and return the carriage, and hold the pressure devicethereafter released for insertion of a fresh work-piece, and meansdependent upon the release of the pedal for restoring the pressuredevice upon the platen.-

3. In a typewriting machine, the combina i tion with a platen and aletter-feeding car: riage therefor, of a releasable work-holdingpressure device bearing against the platen, means effective withoutrequiring attention or use of either hand ofthe'operator forautomatically releasing the 'work from the control of the pressuredevice, and for main: taining the pressure device released to permit theoperator to withdraw the typed work-piece with one. hand, and insert ano I released, and means effective upon the release of the pedal frompressure for restoring said pressure device to the platen.

4:. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and aletter-feeding carriage therefor, of a releasable work-holding pressuredevice bearing against the platen, means effective without requiringattention or use of either hand of the'operator for automaticallyreleasing the work from the control of the pressure device, and formain-v taining the pressure device released to permit the operator towithdraw the typed work-piece with one hand, and insert a freshwork-piece with the other hand, a lever pivoted to swing forward forreleasing jthe pressure device, a cord attached to the lever, a pulleyon the carriage forward of the lever and over which the cord is passed,a pulley on the main frame over which the cord is also passed, a pedal,and a device connected to the lever for enabling the pedal to draw thesame to actuate the lever for releasing the pressure device, 'andthereupon to draw upon the lever to return the carriage, andmeansdependent upon the release of the pedal for restoring the pressuredevice to the platen;

' 5. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a

carriage therefor movable in letter-feed and return directions, meansfor holding workpieces to the platen, means operable by the operatorwithout using either hand for moving said holding means from the platenfor insertion and withdrawal of work-pieces,

means connected, to said last-mentioned means for actuating thesame andreturning the carriage, and means for restoring sai 'work-holdlng meansto the platen upon the release of the actuating means by the operatorafter the completion of the return of the carriage.

6.-In a typewriting machine, a platen, a carriage therefor,spring-pressed means for holding work-pieces to the platen, a device formoving said holding means from the platen for insertion of a work-piece,a stop on the carriage for limiting such release movement of saiddevice, means operable by the operator without using either hand andconnected to said device for moving the same to the stop to release theholding means, and for concomitantly movingthe same with the carriage inreturn direction, and means effective after the return of the carriagefor restoring said work-piece to the platen upon the release of saidmoving device. 7 In a typewriting machine, the combination with atraveling carria e, a revoluble platen therein, and feed-r01? with theplaten, of manual means for concomitantly line-spacing the platen andreturning the carriage, and means operable by the operator without usingeither hand for concomitantly casting off the feed-rolls and returningthe carriage without line-spacing the platen, said two means beingoperable independently of and without interference with each ot er.

JESSE A. B. SMITH.

